What's your time worth?
- Thread starter Youngster
- Start date
tfeverfred
Well-Known Member
That's a very interesting question, Ron. I'm new to building a car from the ground up, so I really wouldn't know, but for guys like you that do your own fab work, etc., I would see your hourly rate being more than the norm.
When I asked my friend to weld my brackets on my rearend, it wasn't that he had the equipment or knew how to use it. It was his experience that made me go to him. He has done all his own welding on cars that he races for years, so I knew it would be right. Experience is what would place you at the higher end.
That being said..... I would expect to pay a guy with good knowledge and skills $75-$100 an hour, but the work better be top notch AND guaranteed.
When I asked my friend to weld my brackets on my rearend, it wasn't that he had the equipment or knew how to use it. It was his experience that made me go to him. He has done all his own welding on cars that he races for years, so I knew it would be right. Experience is what would place you at the higher end.
That being said..... I would expect to pay a guy with good knowledge and skills $75-$100 an hour, but the work better be top notch AND guaranteed.
I figure my time on what can you do for me. I have more projects than I have time, so if you want something done its a barter system for me. If i do take a cash side job, I'll estimate how long it will take and bid it at a $100 an hour flat rate. I don't do to many, but I don't want to.
Lowrollerchevy
Member
always a hard question. i guess the answer ranges from nothing all the way to $60/ hour
ive done tons of stuff for people for free before, ive also charged people $60 for a 45 min repair
oh, its a $1000 part, and you want me to cut it down, make a new such and such in the lathe, weld it inside and out, and grind it all down so it looks perfect .... and you want to pay me $20??? hahahaha ...
one think people like to overlook is the cost of consumable's. electricity, mig wire, grinding wheels, the pair of pants im gonna wreck crawling around under your car...
my buddies turbo project burnt up over $400 worth of electricity and 2 pairs of my pants, and it was the same kind of work people have tried to get me to do for $200 total, at my house using my electricity and such ....ugh
ive done tons of stuff for people for free before, ive also charged people $60 for a 45 min repair
oh, its a $1000 part, and you want me to cut it down, make a new such and such in the lathe, weld it inside and out, and grind it all down so it looks perfect .... and you want to pay me $20??? hahahaha ...
one think people like to overlook is the cost of consumable's. electricity, mig wire, grinding wheels, the pair of pants im gonna wreck crawling around under your car...
my buddies turbo project burnt up over $400 worth of electricity and 2 pairs of my pants, and it was the same kind of work people have tried to get me to do for $200 total, at my house using my electricity and such ....ugh
all-world1
Member
Lowrollerchevy brings up a good point about overhead. If you are doing some cheap work for a friend, usually the friend never thinks of the supplies and utilities that you have to kick in. Whatever hourly or flat rate you are charging, I would expect that you would also recover your shop costs if applicable.
all-world1 said:
I always figure in overhead, but as stated I try to price my self out of work. If they want to pay what I want I'll do a job now and then. I'd rather barter, I have one job I have to do soon. I'm going to replace a floor in a '61 Impala for a neighbor and he's going to paint my Blazer.
Brucer
New Member
when i was doing cages and backhalfing vehicles i had to look at the car first then talk with the individual and see to what extent they wanted the job done.. how good an actual job the individual had, basicly good background information.. building hardcore costs more than lowbuck, you guys know how that goes.. i would never hang myself out to somone i didnt know at all.. i generally tried to quote stuff at $50 an hour..
if it pertains to machine work, i'm a tool&die guy by trade, so in no way do i want to do machine work for someone else on my free time, so i pretty much try to price it out of range, unless the person that needs the machine work done can build a transmission or something like that, then i try to go to the barter system, and at that point i need to know the person pretty good for the bartering to commence..
if somebody pulls up and needs something welded and it doesnt take 5 minutes to weld, say an alternater bracket or something of the sort, i would probably do something small like that for free, because generally people would possibly comeback to you if they had something a little bigger to weld or fabricate then you can make a lil money...
an example, i had my truck sitting outside oneday clearing out the garage, and a guy with a mowing trailer pulled in and asked if i did fabrication work, he has a successful mowing business, so i say yes sir i do, this guy works at Alcan Aluminum so now i know he has a fulltime job and mows on the side.. we chat a lil, he has broken his trailer in front of the front axle (tandem axle trailer), and needs it welded and reinforced by in the morning, so now its 5:00 in the afternoon, he wants it at 6am, so my price just doubled because i have to work my arse off to get it done by a decent hour for me to get food, shower and sleep for work the next day.. I was afraid to piss the guy off, but what do you do, its after hours, he makes alot of money mowing and at his full time job, i dont want to rape the guy as he might bring more side jobs. but then again he has disrupted my plans of cleaning the garage and whatever else, so i shoot him a price of $500 and he didnt hesitate, he says OK I'll see you in the morning, and no faster than i could say see ya, he was in his truck and gone.. it took me about 3 1/2hrs to fix it, he showed up at 6am on the nose, i was outside jacking the hitch on the trailer for him to latch on.. he jumped out and loved the job i did and handed me $500 cash and asked if i wanted anymore work.. i ended up putting weedeater racks, and ramps on 3 different trailers for him and he paid top dollar everytime.. its all situational..
also, i just built a 4link to have on the shelf.. i probably could have saved money by just buying it outright if you figure it took me 8 hours to draw and program and cut the brackets.. but i now have programs and fixture for the front and rear brackets for a streetrod 4link.. at this point i can cut them in a 1/4 of the time now.. some stuff i will buy , but if i can look at something and say i can make it cheaper, or roughly the same, but make it better, or make it better and make it look even better then i do it myself...
if it pertains to machine work, i'm a tool&die guy by trade, so in no way do i want to do machine work for someone else on my free time, so i pretty much try to price it out of range, unless the person that needs the machine work done can build a transmission or something like that, then i try to go to the barter system, and at that point i need to know the person pretty good for the bartering to commence..
if somebody pulls up and needs something welded and it doesnt take 5 minutes to weld, say an alternater bracket or something of the sort, i would probably do something small like that for free, because generally people would possibly comeback to you if they had something a little bigger to weld or fabricate then you can make a lil money...
an example, i had my truck sitting outside oneday clearing out the garage, and a guy with a mowing trailer pulled in and asked if i did fabrication work, he has a successful mowing business, so i say yes sir i do, this guy works at Alcan Aluminum so now i know he has a fulltime job and mows on the side.. we chat a lil, he has broken his trailer in front of the front axle (tandem axle trailer), and needs it welded and reinforced by in the morning, so now its 5:00 in the afternoon, he wants it at 6am, so my price just doubled because i have to work my arse off to get it done by a decent hour for me to get food, shower and sleep for work the next day.. I was afraid to piss the guy off, but what do you do, its after hours, he makes alot of money mowing and at his full time job, i dont want to rape the guy as he might bring more side jobs. but then again he has disrupted my plans of cleaning the garage and whatever else, so i shoot him a price of $500 and he didnt hesitate, he says OK I'll see you in the morning, and no faster than i could say see ya, he was in his truck and gone.. it took me about 3 1/2hrs to fix it, he showed up at 6am on the nose, i was outside jacking the hitch on the trailer for him to latch on.. he jumped out and loved the job i did and handed me $500 cash and asked if i wanted anymore work.. i ended up putting weedeater racks, and ramps on 3 different trailers for him and he paid top dollar everytime.. its all situational..
also, i just built a 4link to have on the shelf.. i probably could have saved money by just buying it outright if you figure it took me 8 hours to draw and program and cut the brackets.. but i now have programs and fixture for the front and rear brackets for a streetrod 4link.. at this point i can cut them in a 1/4 of the time now.. some stuff i will buy , but if i can look at something and say i can make it cheaper, or roughly the same, but make it better, or make it better and make it look even better then i do it myself...
andy fadster
New Member
Guess it depends on what you are doing and for whom. If its for a mate or rodding buddy, then mates rates apply...usually a beer at the next race meeting or show.
If its in a professional capacity, then I charge 350.00 per day, say $700.00 US, which includes two engineers and a van...I run an aircon company.
I recently took my Jag XK8 into the main dealers for some work and received a bill detailing the labour content at 107.00 per hour...that $200.00 bucks folks !!
If its in a professional capacity, then I charge 350.00 per day, say $700.00 US, which includes two engineers and a van...I run an aircon company.
I recently took my Jag XK8 into the main dealers for some work and received a bill detailing the labour content at 107.00 per hour...that $200.00 bucks folks !!
So, I take it $4 was a little lite for this perch? LOL
http://www.tbucketeers.com/forum/f5/tapered-frame-rails-952/index3.html
Ron
http://www.tbucketeers.com/forum/f5/tapered-frame-rails-952/index3.html
Ron
Youngster said:
It all depends who its for. I've given a lot of work away to friends 'cause I couldn't charge my rates. :lol:
all-world1
Member
$4 ??? 
Ron, you could retire tomorrow and make a fortune building perches like that.
Gotta be worth between $60 and $100 easy.
Ron, you could retire tomorrow and make a fortune building perches like that.
Gotta be worth between $60 and $100 easy.
weelstang
New Member
Well some time ago I stopped working for the public. So my machine shop is closed and is for making FUN only. I build cars because I like them and the challenge of building it myself. I have a Alum T Bucket nearing completion. Can't finish it in time for NTBA nationals in Sptingfield IL., so I'm taking out 26 T Coupe. If I ever figure out how to post pictures here I'll post some of it. Know enough puter to get in trouble. Time is just time. If you wake up in the morning it is a GREAR DAY. weelstang
I guess I should add my $.02 here. I've been told I don't charge enough for my labors. I guess I like to give a guy a good deal as much as I like to find one. I find it hard to believe my time is worth as much as people say it is. How do I put a price on doing something I really love to do? When I build a part, I don't consider how long it's going to take. I just work on it 'til it's right in my eyes. I don't feel right charging a hourly fee for my artsy detailing.
Now as for the perch I fabbed for chuckt's frame, I actually told him $5 at first. He's shrewd. He talked me down to $4. LOL!!! Here's my take on this transaction. This was a gift from me to Chuck. Kind of a reversed tip, if you will, to thank him for his faith in me to build the frame for his T. I would have had to built a perch anyway. I just went a little overboard with it, (didn't know where to stop).
Ron
Now as for the perch I fabbed for chuckt's frame, I actually told him $5 at first. He's shrewd. He talked me down to $4. LOL!!! Here's my take on this transaction. This was a gift from me to Chuck. Kind of a reversed tip, if you will, to thank him for his faith in me to build the frame for his T. I would have had to built a perch anyway. I just went a little overboard with it, (didn't know where to stop).
Ron
tfeverfred
Well-Known Member
You're a good man, Ron. It will be a pleasure having you do my Speedster frame. You do great work.
Once again, this site and the people on it are Heaven sent.
Once again, this site and the people on it are Heaven sent.
Youngster said:
Its a great looking part though.
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